Fuel for cooking, heating and lighting

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a fuel for cooking, heating and lighting which comprises hexamethylenetetramine alone or in admixture with additives such as stearyl alcohol, said fuel containing a sufficient quantity of one or more masking agents to substantially mask or diminish the malodorous products produced by said fuel upon the extinguishing thereof.

United States Patent 1191 Kleiman et al.

[4 1 July 15, 1975 FUEL FOR COOKING, HEATING AND LIGHTING Inventors: Harold L. Kleiman; Jean Jacques Martinat, both of New York, NY.

Assignee: Technology Transfer Ltd., New

York, NY.

Filed: Apr. 12, 1974 Appl. No.: 460,488

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 207,964, Dec. 14, 1971, abandoned.

U.S. Cl. 44/1 R; 44/15 R Int. Cl Cl0l 9/00 Field of Search 44/1 R, 6, 4, 7.5, 34,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,701,844 2/1929 Funke 44/7.5

2,289,040 7/1942 Ringer 44/1 R 2,432,347 12/1947 Speaker 44/1 R 2,604,389 7/1952 Berdick et a1. 44/6 X Primary ExamirterCarl F. Dees Attorney, Agent, or FirmPennie & Edmonds 5 7 ABSTRACT 3 Claims, No Drawings FUEL FOR COOKING, HEATING AND LIGHTING This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 207,964, filed Dec. 14, 1971, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to hexamethylenetetramine with or without additives, for use as a cooking, heating and lighting fuel to which has been added a sufficient quantity of one or more masking agents to substantially mask or diminish the malodorous products produced by said fuel upon the extinguishing thereof.

11. Description of the Prior Art Hexamethylenetetramine as a cooking, heating and lighting fuel is known. For use in the broiling of foods. this fuel possesses numerous advantages over charcoal which is currently in wide use. Among these advantages, one may especially cite the following. Hexamethylenetetramine can:

a. be kindled directly with a match or other similar ignition means;

b. attain maximum heat and light output within a few seconds after kindling;

c. burn with a steady, substantially smokeless and odorless flame;

d. be easily reignited even when damp;

e. be extinguished upon completion of the purpose for which the fuel is employed and the remaining fuel can be stored for an indefinite period and used for future purposes until totally consumed.

f. leave very little residue;

g. with the addition of known and conventional binders, be formed into any shape or texture.

h. be handled without soiling or staining.

However, it has been observed that upon extinguishing of the hexamethylenetetramine fuel. the combustion products emanating therefrom possess an acrid, pungent and considerably offensive odor which seriously limits the usefulness of hexamethylenetetramine for cooking, heating and lighting. As one might expect, the presence of these malodorous combustion products is even more offensive in an enclosed space in contrast to an outdoor environment where the combustion products would be more quickly dissipated.

Accordingly, the usefulness of hexamethylenetetramine fuel for such purposes as indoor cooking, heating and lighting is the more seriously diminished because of the production of these malodorous products upon extinguishing of the fuel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicants have successfully eliminated the harsh, offensive odor of hexamethylenetetramine as noted above by adding thereto a sufficient quantity of masking agent.

Broadly, this invention relates to a fuel for cooking, heating and lighting which comprises hexamethylenetetramine alone or in admixture with additives such as stearyl alcohol, said fuel containing a sufficient quantity of one or more masking agents to substantially mask or diminish the malodorous products produced by said fuel upon the extinguishing thereof.

Moreover, the fuel of this invention can be employed for a myriad of other uses such as the warming of foods, the ignition of other fuels, e.g., wood impregnated in combustible materials such as synthetic fireplace logs and added to insect repellant for use in patio torches.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The term masking agent as employed herein defines those substances, fluid and solid, which serve to cover or mitigate an unpleasant odor. Such substances are often derived from essential oil and odoriferous substances covering a very broad range of chemical groups, as for example, esters, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, terpene alcohols and their derivatives, acetals, ketals, lactones and the like.

The alicyclic alcohol, trimethylcyclohexanol, has been found to be especially advantageous as a masking agent for hexamethylenetetramine, giving off a nonobjectionable odor which effectively covers the malodorous products of the fuel resulting from the extinguishing thereof. If desired, a combination of masking agents can be employed, for example, one masking agent such as the aforementioned trimethylcyclohexanol can be employed to mask the odor of the fuel gases while another masking agent such as oil geranium can be added to diminish the intensity of odor, however, non-objectionable, of the masking agent employed to mask the malodor of the fuel gases.

Combustible additives and/or oxidizing agents may be advantageously employed in the fuel of this invention. For example, paraffin and stearic acid may be incorporated in the hexamethyelentetramine along with the masking agent and one can also employ an oxidizing agent such as potassium permaganate. The fatty a1- cohol, stearyl alcohol has been found to be especially advantageous as a binding agent for the fuel according to this invention.

The amounts of masking agent that are required to effectively cover the malodorous combustion products of the hexamethylenetetramine will depend upon the particular masking agent or combination of masking agents employed as will be readily recognized by one skilled in the art. The quantity of masking agent em ployed should ordinarily not exceed the amount required to substantially diminish the offensive odor of the fuel. For example, a fuel mixture consisting of 72.4 parts hexamethylenetetramine, 25.4 parts stearyl alcohol, 1.1 parts trimethyl cyclohexanol and 1.1 parts oil geranium has been observed to give good results.

It is advantageous to select a masking agent or masking agents, which are readily combustible, burn with little smoke, do not significantly affect the thermal output of the fuel and contribute a minimum of odor while burning of the fuel is in progress.

We claim:

1. A fuel for cooking, heating and lighting which comprises hexamethylenetetramine containing a sufficient quantity of a masking agent comprising trimethylcyclohexanol to substantially mask or diminish the malodorous products produced by said fuel upon the extinguishing thereof.

2. A fuel according to claim 1 wherein the masking agent is trimethylcyclohexanol in combination with oil geranium.

3. A fuel according to claim 1 which comprises:

Hexamethylenetetramine 72.4 parts Stearyl alcohol 25.4 parts Trimethylcyclohexanol 1.1 pans Oil Geranium 1.1 parts. 

1. A FUEL FOR COOKING, HEATING AND LIGHTING WHICH COMPRISES HECAMETHYLENETETRAMINE CONTAINING A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF A MASKING AGENT COMPRISING TRIMETHYLCYCLOHEXANOL TO SUBSTANTIALLY MASK OR DIMINISH THE MALODOROUS PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY SAID FUEL UPON THE EXTINGUISHING THEREOF.
 2. A fuel according to claim 1 wherein the masking agent is trimethylcyclohexanol in combination with oil geranium.
 3. A fuel according to claim 1 which comprises: 